Description
Overview
Explore the enchanting allure of Hollywood’s iconic lifestyle through the pages of this compelling biography that serves as a window into the ever-evolving landscape of Los Angeles. This book, published by Vintage on April 28, 2020, is a reprint edition that delves deep into the heart of the city, capturing its vibrant spirit and eccentric characters. Its vivid storytelling is enhanced by the accolades it has received from critics, including Cheryl Strayed, the LA Times, and the Sunday Times, who all praise its captivating narrative and character portrayals. With a print length of 400 pages, this book is a substantial read that promises to both entertain and enlighten.
Key Features
- Authoritative Publisher: Published by the renowned Vintage, ensuring quality and credibility.
- Publication Date: Released on April 28, 2020, this reprint edition offers a fresh take on a beloved topic.
- Comprehensive Format: Written in English, the book spans 400 pages, providing an in-depth exploration.
- ISBN Details: Easily identifiable with ISBN-10: 0525435662 and ISBN-13: 978-0525435662.
- Compact Size: Measuring 5.11 x 0.79 x 7.93 inches, it’s perfect for reading at home or on the go.
- Critical Acclaim: Praised by Cheryl Strayed, the LA Times, and the Sunday Times for its vivid urban narrative and eccentric character portrayals.
- Bestseller Rankings: Ranked #71,965 in Books, #266 in Rich & Famous Biographies, #293 in Actor & Entertainer Biographies, and #321 in U.S. State & Local History.
- Customer Approval: Garnering an impressive 4.3 out of 5 stars based on 1,430 customer reviews.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Engaging Narrative: The book offers a vivid and engaging narrative that captures the essence of Hollywood and its iconic hotel.
- High-Quality Writing: Acclaimed by notable reviewers, ensuring a well-crafted and insightful read.
- Comprehensive: With 400 pages, it provides an extensive exploration of its themes.
- Portable: The compact dimensions make it easy to carry and read anywhere.
Cons:
- Specific Audience: Primarily appeals to readers interested in Hollywood, biographies, and U.S. history.
- Heavyweight: At 2.31 pounds, it might be heavier than other books of similar size.
Why You’ll Love It
Dive into the fascinating world of Hollywood and its legendary hotel with this beautifully crafted biography. Whether you are a fan of captivating urban narratives or intrigued by the eccentric characters that populate the City of Angels, this book promises to be a rewarding journey. Its critical acclaim and positive customer reviews are a testament to its engaging storytelling and insightful exploration of a dynamic cityscape. Explore the nuances of an iconic era and discover why this book has captivated readers and critics alike. Don’t miss the opportunity to add this gem to your collection—purchase your copy today and immerse yourself in the vibrant tapestry of Hollywood’s history.
DUNCAN L NANNEY –
A hotel with truly unique vibrations!
One has to assume there is something special about the Chateau Marmont beyond its noteworthy history and striking architecture. This is confirmed on p. 285 where the author Shawn Levy speaks of the interest the long-time general manager of the Chateau, Philip Pavel, had “in spirituality and mysticism.” Pavel, he said, was delighted when “three different psychics” revealed that the Chateau “was built on an energy vortex”. That, Pavel said, “helped him understand why he felt so immediately comfortable in the hotel as soon as he arrived. He might even, he half joked, have been drawn to the place by unseen forces.” To read of the Chateau in CASTLE ON SUNSET, one can only conclude that the many celebrities who came and went from this hotel came to a similar conclusion as they spoke – and continue to speak of – their feelings and experiences there in contrast to the vibrations found in other hotels in the Hollywood area. I cannot help but think of this business of a vortex being found in another establishment across town, at the Hotel Cecil, with a considerably more negative version of a “vortex” described in Chapter 12 of exorcist R.H. Stavis’s SISTER OF DARKNESS. Vortexes can come in vastly different forms!One of the delights of this book are the many places where Levy branches off into extensive biographical information of the guests who stayed at the Chateau. Perhaps the most notorious guest at the hotel was actor John Belushi whose death here attracted publicity to the place which the hotel was not necessarily looking for. The author outlines at some length what went on here with Belushi and his demise.I not only highly recommend CASTLE ON SUNSET but would also suggest that anyone with a serious interest in the Chateau Marmont and its history read also LIFE AT THE MARMONT by Raymond Sarlot and Fred E. Basten. The information frequently overlaps but the subject matter is so enjoyable, it is easy to read what is presented here a second time!
Carl E. Ahlm –
âThe Castle on Sunsetâ is the history of the Chateau & also Sunset Strip and the people.”
The mysterious and uncertain life of the 90 plus year old Cateau Marmont is at the center of this non-fiction delight by Shawn Levy. Levy has provided us with a fascinating piece of the evolving history of not only the Chateau, but also of its neighbor the Sunset Strip and the many celebrities who came into and went out of its doors. Before I read the book, I knew little about the Chateau. I had heard about it being where John Belushi OD’d, Lindsay Lohan racking up $50,000 in unpaid charges, Jim Morrison swinging from balconies, and other tales of scandal; the Chateau was very protective of its residentsâ privacy ~ the original âWhat happens in the Chateau, stays in the Chateau.â However, as the reader will discover, there is so much more to the 90 plus year history of Chateau Mormont than scandals.âThe Castle on Sunsetâ lays out the evolution of the Chateau from its inception in 1929 as upscale apartments, turning into a hotel a decade later, a period of decay, and a real rebirth in recent years. What makes the book of interests is how its blends the history of the Chateau with the history of the residents and celebrities who frequented it along with the historical evolution of that Hollywood icon â The Sunset Strip. It was not a fast read, but it was an interesting book. The book was well researched, and he provides a lot of endnotes and citations. I loved the book; however, I would have loved more pictures.
Sharon in rural Florida –
Lots of movie history
Very interesting book, gives quite a lot of Hollywood history.
Amazon Customer –
Meh
I’m reading this book now and though much of it is interesting, Shawn Levy can not ignore the temptation to throw in modern day, left leaning buzzwords like” right-wing witch hunts,” “excluding people of color and women,” “fascist intolerance,” etc. The guy just can’t help himself. I was hoping to get a book I could just enjoy without all the political bs you have to deal with today and I wish I would have known it contained his liberal biases because I wouldn’t have paid him for his opinion by buying it. That’s for sure!
Starship Trooper –
Good summer reading.
Hollywood history. Well written.
jake butler –
fantastic for non fiction lovers
Great book that tells you the real history of the chateau and not the folklore that people have heard. I think a lot of the people that werenât happy with the book missed the point that all of the juicy gossip they wanted wasnât actually true but there still is PLENTY of crazy stuff that did happen that is in the book. I will admit though that the first quarter of the book are historical people that none of us know today but you donât have to know everyone to still enjoy it. One thing is for sure though if you are an avid non fiction lover who enjoys facts that might be considered dry to some then youâll really enjoy it but if you arenât than this book isnât for you.
lplynn –
Chateau Marmont: A History of The Building and Its Clientele
A history of the Chateau Marmont, this book essentially concentrated on two aspects of that history: 1) the history of the actual building, including its various owners, and 2) the clientele who actually stayed there.Since my purpose in reading was primarily for the “reveals” about the various personalities, I found the book “bogged down” at times with too much information about the building as a physical entity, but overall I enjoyed the author’s presentation.
mikeff –
What a great book!
A most interesting read in ages. Loaded with a wonderful history of a famous hotel as well plenty of stories do famous actors that stayed there. Plenty of fun gossip.
Magdalena Möller –
The Castle on Sunset: Love, Fame, Death and Scandal…
Jackie S –
I Used To walk By This Place Often When I Lived In Hollywood ( Both On North Argyle, And Later On Franklin Near Highland )The Old Garden Of Allah Is Often Mentioned – It Was Located On Hollywood Blvd, And At One Time, A Real Party Place With Bungalows And Pool, And By 1963 It Was Derelict And Was Torn Down In 1964 – Leaving Only The ” The Castle ” Above Sunset…Throughout It’s Long History, Changes Of Ownership, For Better Or For Worse, The REAL Stars Who Lived There, Or Often Visited Others In Residence ( James Dean, Etc )Unfortunately, In Later Years, The Only Reason The General Public Knew About The Place Was The Death Of John Belushi As A Result Of An Overdose…Long Before, There Were So Many REAL Stars That Depended On The Integrity Of Staff, So Much So, That They Often Returned From Overseas Junkets To take-Up Residence Once Again, And Often There Was A Waiting List…At Times, There Was A 24 Hour Kitchen And Bar ( Members Of Led Zeppelin Liked This Area ) And Off And On ( Again, Depending On Ownership ) 24 Hour Room Service….There Were Rooms, Suites, And Later, Garden Bungalows And Each Guest(s) Could Even Send Out For Any Newspaper Available In Hollywood….The Book Includes Names And Dates Of Arriving And Departing Guests – Some Very Well-Known Folks From Film, And Others From Other Walks Of Hollywood Life.An Interesting Read, And A Look At The REAL Stars Of The 1930s, 40s, 50s, And 60’s And Even Some From Later Decades…Hollywood Never Died, It Just Became Comatose… And That’s So Evident Here…
Mattia –
Un libro affascinante e ben scritto che racconta interessanti aneddoti su proprietari, staff e ospiti di unâautentica icona del Sunset Boulevard, dalla sua costruzione ai giorni nostri (2019). Interessante apprendere come la metamorfosi dello Chateau Marmont, da semplice residence ad albergo di lusso, sia stata il fedele riflesso del susseguirsi delle varie epoche a cui ha fatto da testimone, in cui il denominatore comune – afferma lâautore – sia lâirrealtà di Hollywood.
Vanessa –
Firstly, Iâm going to admit to being an absolute Shawn Levy fangirl BUT you know how brutally honest I am when it comes to book reviews, so please donât assume that my opinions on this book are in any way biased. âCause theyâre not.I wanted to give The Castle on Sunset: Life, Death, Love, Art, and Scandal at Hollywoodâs Chateau Marmont (phew!) a perfect score of 5/5 stars, but I canât. Hereâs why: this book should have been a coffee table book, not just a typical non-fiction book with white pages full of text and a small insert of grainy photographs in the middle.Shawn Levy is one of my auto-buy authors, meaning that whatever he writes and releases Iâll buy and read as soon as I can get my hands on it. He could write about gardening and Iâd still purchase his book and gobble it up in a matter of days, I donât care. His writing style is laid back, relatable, snarky, and easy to understand. Though heâs a non-fiction writer who tends to write mostly about classic film and old Hollywood, his books are incredibly easy to follow and digest. Theyâre approachable and thatâs what I love most about them. They donât intimidate me at all and thatâs not always easy to find when you read a lot of classic film non-fiction.This book taught me a lot about California in the early twentieth century before it became known primarily as the centre of the film-making universe. Levy gets into the nitty-gritty of land development and county borders and though that may sound bland, itâs actually really interesting because there were certain laws that only applied to particular areas of California and not to others. Fascinating stuff. Levy also (obviously) delves into the inspiration, the design, the construction, and the on-going history of Chateau Marmont through the decades â from its birth as merely an idea in the mid-1920s to its current iteration of luxury and exclusiveness in the twenty-first century.Chateau Marmont began its life in February 1929 as an apartment tower, attracting Californiaâs elite and scions of high society. The structure was then converted into a hotel in 1931 featuring 63 rooms, an intimate lobby, and an underground parking garage. The building was designed and constructed to be earthquake proof â which is really smart considering its location and Californiaâs history of frequent and devastating earthquakes. The property has weathered five violent earthquakes since its opening, sustaining absolutely no major structural damage whatsoever. Incredible.One thing Iâd like to point out before I go any further is that if youâre not a fan of classic film, old Hollywood, or pop culture, youâre probably going to find this book boring and hard to get through. I read through some Amazon reviews of the book a couple nights ago and that seemed to be the main consensus from readers. Many of them said they had to google the celebrities who were featured in Levyâs narrative because they had no idea who anyone was (imagine not knowing who Jean Harlow or Clark Gable were!). When youâre reading about people youâve never heard of and have no interest in, youâre bound to think this book is âboringâ and not worthwhile â and thatâs a real shame because itâs plain to see that Shawn Levy put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into this book. Thatâs one thing I can say for sure about him â his research is always so well done and extensive. This guy does not skimp on history or detail.There are some awesome anecdotes in this book from everyone associated with classic Hollywood, to celebrities who relocated from New York to Hollywood to develop their film careers, to the people who actually worked (and work) at the Chateau Marmont. Another thing Levy doesnât skimp on are interviews, so youâll find a lot of first-hand knowledge here. One of my favourite stories from the book involved prolific writer and producer Dominick Dunne checking out of the hotel and leaving a pornographic VHS tape behind in his suiteâs VCR.So, letâs go back to me not giving this book a perfect score, shall we? In my opinion, this should have been released as a coffee table book. The one major thing I kept dwelling on throughout my reading experience was the fact that there were no architectural layouts or floor plans included within the book. Levy spends a lot of time and effort describing the Chateauâs landscape, interiors, and all of its rooms, suites, and penthouses so a few architectural drawings of said spaces would have been awesome to study visually. Levy also devotes many chapters of his book to the Chateauâs neighbourhood, surrounding buildings, and historical landmarks â having high quality photos to look at whilst reading about these places would have been nice.Overall? I think youâll really enjoy this book IF youâre a classic film fan and are interested in the history of California and Hollywood in particular. This was another winner for me and Shawn Levy did not let me down â heâs still one of my auto-buy authors and Iâll continue reading his work in the future. I just wish the book had been printed in a different format, thatâs all, but we canât have everything, can we?
Wingate –
Hollywood hotels can be strange. I once stayed at the Hollywood Roosevelt one Halloween evening and the place was almost a riot at 2am.This hotel is of interest to me for its guests in the thirties and forties.I had not got a clue about guests in this century. So an interesting book to a degree.